Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, salt water generously. Add kale leaves and cook 4 - 5 minutes. Use tongs to move kale straight from the water to the pitcher of a blender. It's fine if a bit of water comes along with them.
Meanwhile, set a medium saucepan or skillet over medium heat. When hot, add 1/4 cup olive oil and the sliced garlic. As garlic sizzles, edge heat down to low and continue cook until the oil is fragrant and the garlic is toasty but not burned. (If things get too hot, remove the pan from heat.)
In the same water used to blanch the kale, cook the pasta to the firmer side of al dente. Scoop pasta out of the water and into a large bowl. Toss pasta with about half the kale sauce and the remaining Parmesan. Add more sauce and a splash of cooking water as needed. Add sea salt and black pepper to taste. Add fresh herbs and toss.
Any leftover sauce will keep well sealed in the fridge for a couple days.